


I'm Not The Only One

by orphan_account



Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: Established Relationship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-27
Updated: 2014-09-27
Packaged: 2018-02-19 00:15:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,536
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2367179
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>“Are you sure this is a good idea?”</i>
</p><p> </p><p>  <i>Jamie is pretending to read some book in his chair by the pool, but Tyler’s right, it’s all he had been thinking about. Tyler leans on the edge of the pool, shaking water out of his hair. He stares intently, at Jamie until the older man finally gives up and looks at him.</i></p><p> </p><p>  <i>“Yes, I’m sure,” he says. “It’s just a house party, nothing big. I’m sure you’ve been to your fair share of them,” he says, smirking at his boyfriend.</i></p><p> </p><p>Sequel to <a href="http://archiveofourown.org/works/1958409">I've Been Locked Out of Heaven</a></p>
            </blockquote>





	I'm Not The Only One

“Are you sure this is a good idea?”

 

Jamie is pretending to read some book in his chair by the pool, but Tyler’s right, it’s all he had been thinking about. Tyler leans on the edge of the pool, shaking water out of his hair. He stares intently, at Jamie until the older man finally gives up and looks at him.

 

“Yes, I’m sure,” he says. “It’s just a house party, nothing big. I’m sure you’ve been to your fair share of them,” he says, smirking at his boyfriend.

 

Rolling his eyes, Jamie mutters, “Hah hah hah. Very funny. Yeah I’ve been to some, but it wasn’t at a mansion with the biggest names in the NHL coming.” He picks up his book and goes back to ignoring tyler, flush creeping up his face. 

 

Are you nervous?” Tyler asks jokingly. But the look that Jamie gives him makes him think he might not be that far off. He’s met a couple of Tyler’s friends so far and has done fine. But Tyler also knows how big of a hockey fan Jamie is and realizes it might be a little overwhelming. “You’re going to do great,” he says, hopping out of the pool and grabbing his towel.

 

“It’s not that, I just don’t want to deal with him.” Oh. That’s what was wrong. Tyler had wanted to settle the bad blood between him and Kaner once and for all and had invited him and Jonathan to the housewarming party. Partially as a peace offering, partially to rub how amazing Jamie was in Pat’s face.

 

“You don’t need to worry about Kaner. Toews has got him on the tightest leash ever since they got hitched,” he says, sitting down in the chair, smushed against Jamie. He gives Jamie the eyes and the smile over his book, watching the older man’s expression go from annoyance to that stupid grin that Tyler loved so much. “It’ll be fun, I promise,” he muttered, knocking his knee against Jamie’s

 

Jamie kisses him, muttering against Tyler’s lips, “If you say so…”

 

The month goes by quicker than either of them realize and, before Tyler knows it, it’s Saturday night and Jamie is pacing up and down the kitchen. “Pacing is good cardio,” Tyler quips, watching his boyfriend glare at him. “Oh stop it.” The doorbell rings and Jamie freezes, eyes wide. Tyler gives his hip a tender squeeze, saying, “Let’s do this.”

 

It takes a while for people to show up but, when they do, it’s a madhouse. Tyler invited nearly everyone he knew and a good 75% of them showed up, a lot with their significant others. Most of his former and current team are there, plus people playing everywhere from Montreal to L.A. Jamie keeps close to his side, introducing himself confidently and socializing with ease. Tyler’s not sure how he managed to find someone who slipped so easily into that part of his life, but he’s glad for it. Jamie is probably the best thing that’s ever happened to him.

 

“Not even going to say hello, are ya?” he hears a familiar voice say behind him. He and Jamie turn from Marchy to find Patrick standing there, Jonathan close behind him. Kaner’s got the usual shit-eating grin on his face and Jonny with his trademarked bemused expression on, one of only a couple he always had on around Patrick.

 

There’s a but of hesitation before Jamie holds his hand out to Jonathan saying, “Jamie Benn. It’s an honor to meet you, Jonathan.” Jonathan smiles awkwardly as they shake hands, but watches carefully when Jamie turns to Patrick. There’s a clear stand off, Jamie eyeing Kaner up and down. “Kane, correct?” he asks, almost snidely, lip curling a bit.

 

Patrick clearly steps up the the challenge, saying, “I’m sure you’ve heard a lot about me, if you’re as big a hockey _fan_ as Segs says you are.”

 

“Doesn’t mean any of it’s good,” Jamie replies cooly, eyes darkening.

 

Tyler looks nervously between his boyfriend and his ex before silently asking or Toews’ help.

 

Jonathan delivers, quickly saying, “Come on, Peeks, let’s go get some drinks, okay?” He grabs Patrick’s arm and drags him away from the glaring contest his husband was trying to start.

 

“Jesus, Jamie,” Tyler exclaims when they leave, punching him in the arm. “I know you’re super protective of me, but you gotta turn it down a notch. I don’t want you to start a fight with my ex at my fucking housewarming party. Cool it down.”

 

Jamie takes a deep breath and tries to calm down. “I’m sorry Tyler,” he says. “I just fucking hate him so much. He treated you like shit and thinks that I’m going to worship him? Fuck that and fuck him.” Tyler can see the flush in his cheeks and neck, can see the buried anger in his chest.

 

He unwraps the fists that Jamie has made and massages his large hands. “Calm down. Tonight’s about having fun. I can’t have fun if you’re going to be pissed all night.” Jamie’s face relaxes a bit and Tyler smiles. “Come on, let’s go grab drinks.”

 

The party rages around them and Tyler can finally see Jamie relax. Jamie crushes Horcs at beer pong and loses gratefully to Lucic. He laughs at Thornton’s terrible jokes and makes a couple of his own. He challenges PK to a rap battle and loses horrifically. There’s an overwhelming swell of happiness in his chest seeing his boyfriend bonding with everyone he cared about.

 

He plants a kiss on Jamie’s temple, leaving him to his own devices to go mingle with the people at his party.

 

Tyler’s about seven beers in when Patrick grabs his shirt sleeve and leans in close, saying quietly, “Can we talk somewhere?” When he has to lean in to hear more clearly, Patrick adds, “Somewhere more private?” Tyler looks over at Jamie, deeply involved in an intense game of drunken Jenga, and nods, following him through the crowd of people and into the kitchen.

 

It’s surprisingly empty, but Tyler remembers Marchy moving the kegs and coolers to the pool deck a few hours in to save everyone some trips. “What’s up man?” he asks, leaning agains the counter. His beer bottle clinks lightly against the granite in the silence.

 

Patrick hesitates for a second, hand scrubbing over his face. Tyler definitely saw a change in him since the wedding. The giddiness was there, but in a more reserved way. With that simple, “I do,” he had matured into the person everyone knew he could be. Jonny must’ve been thrilled to finally be on the equal playing field, maturity wise at least. “That Benn kid… he doesn’t like me, does he?” Pat asks, one eyebrow raised. Not sarcastically, not inquisitively since he already knew the answer, but almost in a sad way. His facade of being the haughty ex had faded and been replaced by the all too familiar one of the kid so desperate to be liked.

 

“Do you really blame him?” Tyler replies plainly. “I met him right after I got home from Chicago. I vented to him about everything. He saw me at my worst, partially your fault. I don’t really blame him for not liking you right away.” His voice is soft but bluntly honest.

 

“I wish I’d never kissed you, sometimes.” Patrick’s voice is quiet and solemn as he says it. He moves to stand next to Tyler, eyes still on the floor. “I miss having you as a friend, Segs. Before all this shit went down between us.” Patrick nudges their feet together, muttering, “Now I’m just some old married loser who probably deserves to be punched in the face.” There’s a mocking edge to his voice, but it still can’t cover up the disheartened slump caused by reality and alcohol.

 

Tyler rolls his eyes, grinning at Patrick. “I swear, when you drink you’re either the life of the party or the most clinically depressed person here. I’m up for being friends again, you just have to keep the promises you made to me _and_ Jonny. No funny business here, Kaner.”

 

Patrick’s shoulders curl a little, pulling away from Tyler. 

 

“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” he says, pulling the shorter man into a tight hug. “Trust needs to be rebuilt, that’s for sure,” Tyler mutters as Patrick squeezes him back. “But as long as you can try, so can I.”

 

“Ty?”

 

He looks up from Patrick’s shoulder to see Jamie standing in the doorway. It’s like the calm before the storm, the clouds darkening in his eyes and mind. Tyler can see the rage building his shoulders and neck, veins pulsing with pain from his heart. Tyler lets his arms drop, immediately pulling away from Patrick. “Jamie, please. You don’t know…” But, right after the words slip out of his mouth, he winces, knowing how Jamie will take them.

 

And he does. The flush builds as Jamie’s mouth falls open. “Fuck you, Tyler,” he spits venomously. But Tyler catches the quivering shake that Jamie can’t hide. “I’m sorry I’m not a fucking famous NHL superstar. I’m sorry nobody here knew my name before you introduced me. I’m sorry I don’t have money or recognition or whatever it is that’s so important to you.” Jamie’s voice had risen into a full on shout and people have started to gather. “I’m sorry I’m not good enough for you.” He turns around and begins to storm off.

 

Tyler grabs at the back of Jamie’s shirt, saying desperately, “Please, Jamie, let me… let’s go talk…”

 

But Jamie shoves him off, saying brokenly, “No, fuck you Seguin. I can’t do this anymore. I’m so tried of having to worry about every little thing you do, or who you’re going to leave me for. I’m done.” And he pushes his way out of the formed crowd and out the front door.

 

Everyone stands there in awkward silence, before shuffling away. Tyler’s shoulders slump as he runs a hand through his hair, muttering, “Fucking hell, what am I going to do now?”

 

Patrick mutters offhandedly, “Why does it even matter? He’s just a fan. You’ve know him, what, two months?”

 

“Just a fan?” he manages. Jamie was anything but that. The past two months had felt like heaven. There was no drama, no worrying about who he had to be, no false pretenses. It was just him and Jamie, wrapped up in sheer bliss. There was the occasional jealousy, mainly due to the overwhelming attention Tyler got, but Jamie had always handled it amazingly. But this was the straw that broke the camel’s back. All the insecurities Jamie had about their relationship placed on display for everyone to see.

 

“He’s not ‘ _just a fan_ ’ and you know it,” Tyler spits, closing in on Patrick. Jonathan tries to step in between them, but Tyler can still stare Kane down over Toews’ shoulder. “He’s an amazing hockey player; he’s good enough to play in the NHL if he wanted to and you know it. He’s got a big heart and one of the best senses of humor I know. He’s loyal and stubborn and doesn’t back down from a fight.” Patrick can’t even back away from him as Tyler says, “And I love him. He’s not just a fan. He’s so much more than that.”

 

Jonathan lets go of his shoulders, whispering quietly, “Then go get him back, Segs. Your party can wait. Jamie can’t.”

 

Tyler nods, hurrying out of the kitchen. As he rushes past everyone, who just turn their heads, ignoring his presence. He’s turned into a stranger at his own housewarming party. He bumps into Brownie, who he grabs, asking quickly, “Did you see which way Jamie went?”

 

“Uh, I think he’s out on the front step with Bergy. Not sure if he’s still there or not.”

 

Peeling down the hall, he steps out the back door and heads around the front, leaving the loud poolside laughter behind him. If Jamie is out front, he wants the chance to cut him off before he bolts. Tyler can’t let him leave now, not before he can tell him everything he needs to.

 

When he gets to the front door, there’s Jamie, head in his hands, with Patrice’s arm wrapped around his shoulder. Thank god for Bergeron, really. He was always there for Tyler, even as things got worse in Boston, and he was always there with good advice when Tyler had gotten traded to Dallas. And now here he was again, muttering quietly to a despondent Jamie.

 

As he approaches, Tyler catches Patrice mutter his name. He catches, “doesn’t always think straight” and “impulsive” and realizes that Bergy is trying to help Jamie understand Tyler. Patrice has known him longer than Jamie and knows how quickly Tyler can unintentionally fuck things up. Tyler stands in front of Jamie and waits for him to look up.

 

But, when he finally does, Tyler is unprepared for the entirely destroyed look on his boyfriend’s face. If anything, the betrayal on his face is worse than the anger.

 

“What do you want?”

 

“Can we talk? Please?” Tyler begs, moving to block Jamie as he stands up. “No, don’t go. You don’t understand. Back there, that wasn’t…”

 

Jamie tires side stepping him again but gets shut down. “What?” he snarls. “Wasn’t what? Wasn’t you and your ex alone together? Wasn’t Kane holding on to you like it was the only thing he wanted? I’m so tired of worrying, Tyler. I shouldn’t have to.”

 

Tyler grabs his face and makes Jamie look him in the eyes. “You _don’t_ have to. We were just talking about how he missed being friends without all the drama. _You_ are part of my life now, and Patrick knows that.”

 

Even with that, Jamie still closes his eyes, face shutting down. “I can’t be though. I’m sorry.” And he pulls away, finally making his way around Tyler and down the sidewalk.

 

Tyler stands there, numbness washing over his body. He can’t lose Jamie. He won’t. Turning around, he calls out, “Do you want to know something?” Jamie stops, but refuses to turn around. “I finally realized why Boston never felt right and why Dallas was always missing something. It was missing you.” He steps closer to his boyfriend, glad that Jamie doesn’t try to walk away. “I look at you and I feel safe. I look at you, Jamie, and I feel like I belong.” Tyler takes a deep breath and moves in front of Jamie, cupping the older man’s face. “I look at you and… and I’m home. I don’t want to lose that.”

 

Jamie shudders and tries to keep it together. His voice is strained as he whispers, “Is any of that true?”

 

“All of it is. I love you.”

 

A smile pulls it’s way across Jamie’s face. The warmth spreads to Tyler’s chest and warms his soul. “That’s the first time you’ve told that to me,” Jamie says quietly. The spark and twinkle that had been absent returns to his brown eyes. “I like the way it sounds.”

 

Tyler presses their foreheads together. “Don’t worry, you’ll hear it a lot more. I promise.”

 

 


End file.
